The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-01-28
HELPING THE HOUSEWIFE
HOW ARCHITECTS SHOULD PLAN
THE PEOPLES HOMES.

Dark Rooms and Passages to be Avoided.
Moldings to be Made that VIII Not
Catch Dnst-Proper Place for q Bath
room-Plans and Elevation.
Especial co1espondeneeI
INDIANAPOLIS, Dec 28.-It is part of the
business Of an architect to do what he can to
make housekeeping easier. He cando great
deal. He should understand the principles
and practice of good housekeeping This
knowledge is something which cannot be de-
rived from the architectural schools or offices;
it must come from home This part of his
& apprenticeship nsssst be served outside of his.
technical tutorship. The public press Of the
country has had a great deal to say about
the artistic qualities of domestic architecture,
has had great deal to say about house fur
nishing, and altogether has furnished much
valuable matter in regard to all of these
things. As far as know nothing has been
said as to the relation of architecture to good
housekeeping. The artistic element is not to
be neglected in any sense. There must be
added TO what has already been considered
the element OF convenience of arrangement,
economy OF maintenance and ease in the
general housekeeping movements.
Washing dishes is disagreeable work, but
the architect can do his part by making it
easier. If we take conglomerate mass of
china, knives, forks and spoons, pots. pans
and kettles and bring them together on one
small kitchen table which has q dish pan on
one end and wooden water bucket at the
back, with scarcity OF everything to facili-
tate the progress of the work, we have a con-
dition quite different from that wherein there
is roomy sink with table on each side of
it and plenty of hot and cold water above it.
An architect may plan kitchen SO that all
of these conveniences are possible. He may
plan 1t SO that they are impossible.
Easy stairs to cellar and attic, as well as
from the first to the second floor, are life
long comfort. The cellar stairway in many
houses Is constructed with an utter disregard
of ease, comfort or use. Instead of being q
life long comfort they are short lived dis.
comfort. It has been said that the cellar
stairway is mostly used by the servant and
that she does not often stay in one place long
enough to be permanently injured by bad
stairway or benefited by good one, 1t
should be remembered, however, that there
are many houses built each year in which a
servant is not employed.
have in mind house that was designed
by an architect who was noted for his beauti-
full exteriors. He has since become equally
noted for his clumsy, inconvenient interiors
He was utterly careless as to his kitchens, had
no regard for the cellar or attic stairway. In
ths case to which refer there were no means
of getting any of the furniture or fittings into
the laundry without tearing out brick wall,
or of getting trunks into the attic, excepting
through the front gable windows. Still it
was beautiful house. There were certain
inconvenience connected with living in it.
There was large, open hall which extended
from the first floor well up into the roof It
was beautiful and picturesque, but it never
could be admired in winter. It was always
cold 5